1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to camera lenses and, more specifically, to a plurality of camera lenses each having a plurality of facets whereby a scene, object, or subject will be rendered on a photographic medium in an artistic manner has defined by the user of said lenses.
Further the invention provides for an additional element whereby said lenses can be mounted peripherally on a disc which can be rotatably mounted on a camera body providing the user with means for selectively positioning a lens element in the image optical path and effecting a photographic image of the subject in an artistic manner as defined by the user of said camera.
A further additional element is provided in the form of a disposable camera having the lens selector dial mounted thereon providing said camera with means for selectively rendering a scene, object or subject in an artistic manner as defined by the user of the disposable camera. The disposable camera has a light-tight housing having a photographic medium contained therein for recording a scene, object or subject through a user controlled aperture having a fixed focal lens and having a selected lens element of the selectively rotatable disc lens selector member positioned therein.
The selectively rotatable disc lens selector member having a plurality of special lens arrayed on the disc member can be individually positioned in the image optical path to effect the film frame image in a predetermined predictable manner according to the lens element selected.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other Multi-lens camera devices designed for effecting the filmed image. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,061 issued to Westphalen on May 25, 1965.
Another patent was issued to Suzuki et al. on Sep. 17, 1974 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,934. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,005 was issued to Bohm, et al. on Aug. 29, 1978 and still yet another was issued on Sep. 8, 1992 to Frosig, et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,256.
Another patent was issued to Tanaka, et al. on May 12, 1998 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,353. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,285 was issued to Wilk, et al. on Mar. 2, 1999. Another was issued to Freeman, et al. on Apr. 20, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,134.
This United States Patent discloses a multifocal camera having an objective of normal focus with means by which its effective focal length can be increased at the convenience of the photographer to permit his taking close up pictures of a distant object, said means to be built into the camera or to comprise an attachment therefor. Further to provide means and method of modifying a camera having an objective of normal focus for distant objects so as to provide therefor a number of different equivalent focal lengths while maintaining the camera construction simple and its optical system compact and of minimum length. In addition to provide a camera and/or attachment therefor having a fast lens or objective of normal focus with means in the form of an additional lens or lenses which may be optionally combined with the objective to increase its focal length at the election and convenience of the photographer and which will also permit the objective to be used at its normal focus.
A finder parallax correction lens capable of giving a visual indication, a supplementary lens and a glass protector for the main taking lens are aligned in a planar arrangement and movably built in the camera When the supplementary lens for photographing subjects at near or close distances is placed in front of the main taking lens with its optical axis in alignment with that of the taking lens, the correction lens is set in position for the finder optical system, visually indicating that it is so positioned, with the glass protector brought to its retracted position. A lock mechanism is further provided which permits the shutter to be tripped only when the lenses and glass protector are set in correct photographing positions respectively and which otherwise locks the shutter against tripping.
A varifocal object selectively focusable upon a normal range of object distances and a substantially shorter macro range can be supplemented by a negative component of one or more lenses whose focal length is less than the depth of the macro range and which forms a virtual image of a nearby object on the object plane of the objective when the latter is adjusted to a predetermined clasp position. A correlating linkage between a seat for the supplemental component and a control member designed to establish the clasp position serves to index the control member in that position or to prevent the emplacement of the supplemental component if the objective is in a different position.
A close-up attachment, including a close-up accessory lens and a corresponding finder lens, is attached to a single use camera by means of a plug-like insert, which is manually positioned in an open viewfinder tunnel of the camera.
A small and light TV camera extender switching apparatus which is capable of switching two extenders having different magnifications. A first extender and a second extender are supported by the same support shaft so as to be rotatable independently of each other. The first extender and the second extender are rotated by operating the first operating lever and the second operating lever, respectively, via gear trains, so that either extender is moved from the resting position outside of an imaging optical path to a working position in the imaging optical path. A stopper mechanism which is capable of adjusting a retaining position is disposed on the lens frame or in the case so as to adjust the retaining positions of each extender at the resting position and the working position.
A camera device having photosensitive film, a frame connected to the film for holding the film fixed in a first plane, and a plurality of lenses of several predetermined focusing powers mounted to the frame and disposed in a second plane spaced from and parallel to the plane of the film. A shutter assembly is mounted to the frame for enabling light transmission selectively through the lenses and onto the film. The shutter assembly is actuated by shutter activation componentry mounted to the frame and operatively connected to the shutter assembly. A fresnel lens and a Fresnel reflector are mounted to the frame and disposed on opposite sides of a light source for providing artificial illumination for the camera. Each lens is associated with a respective viewfinder and a respective camera exposure indicator. The camera is designed for storage and transport in a wallet or billfold.
A single use camera is preloaded with a roll of magnetically coated film with defined image frames. The camera has an exposure system for selectively exposing an image frame of the film in one of a plurality of image formats. The camera also includes a manually actuated mechanism coupled to a mounted permanent magnet. The magnet is movable to record a magnetic mark on the magnetically coated film at a predetermined location relative to an exposed image frame. The location of the mark is indicative of the image format of the exposed image frame.
While these Multi-lens camera devices designed for effecting the filmed image may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.
The present invention discloses a rotatable disc which is pivotally mounted onto the front of a camera housing, which may be a disposable camera, having a plurality of user selectable rotatable lens mounted thereon each having a plurality of facets. Each lens also has a visual symbol associated therewith for easy recognition by the user. Rotation of the disc and lens about its central pivot creates numerous artistic accentuations to the photographs of the user.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of multi-faceted lenses which can be positioned between the scene, object, or subject and the photographic medium whereby the lens element selected will render the scene, object, or subject in a predictable artistic manner determined by the user and the lens element selected.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of multi-faceted lenses which can be selectively positioned in a camera""s image optical path for effecting multiple scene images on a single photographic medium frame.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a disc lens member having a plurality of peripherally placed rotatable multi-faceted lens elements placed thereon forming an integral part thereof.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mountable rotatable disc lens member which can be mounted on a camera providing a plurality of multi-faceted lens elements that can be selectively positioned between the camera""s fixed focal lens and a scene, object or subject to effect the photographic image in an artistic manner as defined by the user and the lens element selected.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disposable camera having a plurality of special effect lenses arrayed on a rotatable disc lens member for selectively effecting the film frame image in a predetermined predictable manner based on the special effect lens selected.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a disposable camera having a primary lens to focus an image of a primary scene on a photographic medium and a secondary disc lens member having a plurality of special effect lens for effecting the primary scene on a single photographic medium frame with multiple images.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a plurality of camera lenses each having a plurality of facets whereby a scene, object, or subject will be rendered on a photographic medium in an artistic manner has defined by the user of said lenses.
Additionally the multi-faceted lens elements can be mounted onto a disc wherein each lens element is rotatable and the disc can be rotatably mounted on a camera body providing the user with means for selectively positioning a lens element in the image optical path and effecting a photographic image of the subject in an artistic manner as defined by the user of said camera.
A further additional element is provided in the form of a disposable camera having the lens selector dial mounted thereon providing said camera with means for selectively rendering a scene, object or subject in an artistic manner as defined by the user of the disposable camera. The disposable camera being a light-tight housing having a photographic medium contained therein for recording a scene, object or subject through a user controlled aperture having a fixed focal lens and having the selectively rotatable disc lens selector member.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.